Elements and Performance Criteria
- Prepare sterilisation equipment
- Clean and check steam steriliser, low temperatures steriliser, dry heat steriliser and accessory equipment according to AS/NZS 4187, manufacturer's recommendations and organisation policies and procedures
- Conduct performance test cycles according to AS/NZS 4187 and maintain documentation
- Follow regular maintenance program and documentation according to organisation policies and procedures
- Observe safety precautions to ensure sterilisers function safely
- Interpret and document results from physical, chemical and biological tests
- Load steriliser
- Assign appropriate cycle and batch control number and complete documentation according to AS/NZS 4187 guidelines
- Check packaging, sealing and labelling for compatibility with organisation policies and procedures
- Check load content and configuration for compliance with annual steriliser performance qualification
- Select sterilisation method appropriate to the load
- Load steriliser to ensure sterilant contact and according to AS/NZS 4187 and manufacturer's recommendations
- List and assign load description documentation to the correct cycle and according to AS/NZS 4187 and organisation policies and procedures
- Operate steriliser
- Check steriliser function for sterilant availability eg steam to chamber, chemical sterilant container
- Check function of physical process recording accessories
- Select appropriate cycle in accordance with organisation policies and procedures
- Identify, report and action faults according to manufacturer's recommendations and organisation policies and procedures
- Unload and release sterilised loads
- Check sterilisation cycle physical and biological monitoring according to AS/NZS 4187 and organisation policies and procedures, and record results on completion of cycle
- Remove sterilised load immediately on completion of cycle, according to AS/NZS 4187, WHS guidelines and organisation policies and procedures
- Remove compromised items (damaged, wet), dismantle for reprocessing and record according to AS/NZS 4187 and organisation policies and procedures
- Unload cooled load using appropriate handling techniques in accordance with AS/NZS 4187 requirements
- Complete the documentation of the sterilising cycle for parametric release
- Follow WHS procedures
- Comply with quality management requirements
- Adhere to operational monitoring and testing, performance qualification and maintenance of sterilisers and associated equipment and document in accordance with AS/NZS 4187 and organisation policies and procedures
- Comply with documentation requirements for sterilising cycles, batch control and load release control in accordance with AS/NZS 4187 and organisation protocols and procedures
- Report and document all steriliser faults/malfunction and load non-conformance/non-compliance in accordance with AS/NZS 4187 and organisation policies and procedures
- Store and archive documentation in accordance with organisation policies and procedures